United party for National Development (UPND) Lusaka Province Chairperson Obvious Mwaliteta has accused the PF Government of politicising the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic by declaring the wearing of masks mandatory.
President Edgar Lungu yesterday announced the mandatory wearing of masks in public places in Zambia as a measure to combat the spread of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Mwaliteta said while the move maybe welcome, but unknown to the Zambian public, the PF regime wants to politicise the disease by rolling out a fully fledged campaign programme through the distribution of branded PF face masks.
“How reckless, insensitive and evil can people be to its citizens taking advantage of the disease to campaign when the whole country is united in praying for the country to get over the pandemic”, said Mr Mwaliteta.
He said the PF would rather this disease stays a little bit longer and continues to ravage communities as long as it presents an opportunity to them to campaign through PF face masks.
Mr Mwaliteta has questioned how a neighbour will render solidarity to another neighbour against this vicious disease, if they have to first view each other through political lenses.
“How ungodly can a regime be to always be taking advantage of people’s suffering for them to always be campaigning like they have equally done with the hunger situation where they are donating PF branded mealie meal”, he added.
Mr Mwaliteta said the PF knows that face masks are very expensive for ordinary citizens hence the proclamation to make it mandatory to wear face masks, so that they can use the disease as a campaign vehicle.
He said the PF are diluting the seriousness of the message of the mask.
“So far, a number of organisations and individuals, including our party President Hakainde Hichilema have generously donated without politicizing the gifts, but for the PF, it’s always winning political mileage. This disease is not partisan, it kills indiscriminately. Please don’t destroy the common solidarity created by the coronavirus fight”, he added.
This is so wrong. We should soon make sure that all past and present politicians and businesses such as this one accepting public funds are made to pay, made an example of for all the misuse of public funds as is in itself theft by public servant and accepting proceeds of crime. Wait and see as politician have not learnt from the history.
This is what happens when you allow cadrerism over patriotism
Very insensitive indeed.
There is no need to politicize Covid 19 as PF is doing
The ugly face of evil-mongers has reared its head at a time when even China & US have set aside their Trade War. Shame on the PF and that shameless fat PF cadre distributing the masks
That’s the caliber of leadership that we have, it’s too much to expect anything better. The glaring similarity between Zambia and Malawi is the stopidity of our politicians
WHEN YOU HAVE MORONS IN GOVT…SO TO THEM CAMPAIGN TIME HAS BEGAN,SHAME!! IF IT WERE THE OPPOSITION,THE RULING PARTY AND OTHER INCLINED PF AGENTS AND MINIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN BURSTING & FUMING WITH AGITATION!!!
NO, Lungu does not think and it is so unacceptable. Publicizing a Crisis? This is a matter of life and death for people. They should stop them immediately. Who advises the president? Because this is not Normal.
Me and my household will never accept that mask even at zero cost nonsense
I now believe Seer 1, the PF leadership is full of Satanists. Who would use a Pandemic to Campaign? Just a word of Caution. YOU remember how MMD went down. They Decorated and dressed even trees. You are doing the same.
Why making the mask with PF materials, you people needs to be serious. This is not time for politics,Take for example, if this was Opposition ati look what they are doing and u will start calling for arrests. Surely I miss Sata none of this stupid things would have bn happening he had the heart for the people of Zambia. The worse thing that has happened to zambia is to put PF under the leadership of EL in office.
Mwaliteta, you are very right on this one! This is no time nor opportunity for political fashion statements. Keep those freaking PF masks to be distributed and worn at your Party convention so you people don’t infect one another. That is the appropriate time and place for such nonsense. The COVID knows no Party or Party affiliation. So why should safety apparatus for citizens (and I mean; all citizens) be politicized? What a terrible way to campaign.
Why complaining? if the opposition is confident of beating PF next year they shouldnt be sweating from what PF is doing, let them stick to their own programs and plans of wrestling power away from the PF. complaining is for cowards, i love to see people stand up and do something rather than complain the whole time. PF is serious about retaining power next year so the opposition need to up their game and not complaining and chickening out at anything the PF does to push them. Leadership will always be kept by they that have the power and in Zambia sadly that power is not with the people it is in the Govt institutions that regulate vital things in Zambia, what the people say or do does not matter anymore so live with it.
Things like this happen when you have a govt filled with crooks and imbeciles.
Only crooks and imbeciles turn each and every affliction an opportunity for campaigning. We Zambians are equally imbeciles for allowing such to continue.
From the HEAD all the way down they are IMMORAL to the core of their hearts.
In South Africa, both the ANC and the DA condemned the branding of face masks with their party emblems. That’s sensitivity and decency for you. But here….. the caliber of these characters is so low that you would expect nothing less.
“Mr Mwaliteta said the PF knows that face masks are very expensive for ordinary citizens hence the proclamation to make it mandatory to wear face masks, so that they can use the disease as a campaign vehicle.”
Face masks are available from any local tailor for K8 to K10 each, a washable one too. As usual, upnd is out of touch with reality. They operate in a pseudo-real world where they have a brutal regime oppressing Zambians and they are the messiahs and saviors. Like Nangula ward in western province, this surreal scenario is not working for them as they continue to mislead their demigod kainde. PF meanwhile have picked up an opportunity for free mileage and they are using it. Why can’t upnd do the same?? It’s not mandatory to get these PF face masks as I myself have had a pretty…
….chitenge one done for me but good thinking guys. Beve, it’s to cry all the time, nefishi palile, LOSERS!!!!!
I can equally put my company logo on these masks and give them out for free, what’s to stop me????
pathetic to say the least
This is how a failed government operates. They want their name to be seen everywhere and in every situation. If it was a government that has really performed there would be no need to brand the masks in PF. People are able to appreciate your works and performance just by the lives they are living, This PF knows they have brought more misery than happiness in Zambian citizens’ lives hence this desperation of closing private media and branding masks. Next year kuya bebele!
Disgusting
The sad part is these types of masks dont actually work. Technocrats are in a shameful state as they cant advise.These masks dont protect against viruses please
The problem with opposition is that they choose to act ignorantly when it suits their political narrative. These savages are so desperate to get power that they will even go to the extent of wanting people to lose their lives to show that pf is not doing well. These constipated hyenas need to realise that there is a difference between goods distributed by the government and those by pf as a party. Those masks are donation from pf as a party and so can bare the party symbol. No one is forcing you to wear them. That is face mask made using party funds not government funds. So the party can have any feature it wants on them and there is nothing you can do. So stop crying and grow up
imagine wearing Lungu`s face, you probably die of bad breath from his drunken picture
Actually wearing a mask doesn’t really protect you from contracting the virus. let the people wear and die. Just wait. You should have listened to Bowman. It was the only way too late now. ECL always mislead. Sad
While we are arguing about trivial issues like the design of a face mask, the virus is still on the it’s trail of rampage. We have no time and energy to waste. Just empower more citizen and communities to produce more masks with different designs.. jeans, khaki. Zambians are very creative.
KZ,ILICHIPUBA SANA. I,SWEAR IF U WERE IN MY HOMELAND MEXICO THIS TIME U WERE NOT GOING TO BE TALKING LIKE THAT. A BIG FOOL AND *****. U ARE THE SAME FOOLS WHO ARE MAKING LUNGU TO LOOK BAD TO PEOPLE. MWAPWA,WHEN HE GOES WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO U. I,WILL COME AND VISIT ZAMBIA SO THAT WE MAKE U DANCE TO YOUR SONGS.
SAD
Kaizer Zulu, do you read peoples comments or probably you are commenting based on what suits you? Sometimes face reality and act normal even when you are not. Do you think your PF would have accepted the donations from the UPND if they were blended with UPND leaders face or UPND symbols of any kind? You are the same people the citizens are tired of who cant reason to suit your positions in government. is this campaign time? No normal human being would support this. Honestly we are in limbo having leaders like the ones we are seeing today in PF. Sometimes shut up lead the people affected speak. We are tired of you.
I THINK ITS JEALOUSY. IF YOU DONT LIKE THEIR FACE MASKS DONT GET THEM. BUY YOUR OWN, PERIOD. NO ONE IS FORCING YOU.
Am equally tired of these *****S, i mean PF is now a party full of people who have lost their moral compass.
Desperation has engulfed PF government, I’ve not heard any PF official donating anything to covid-19 fund, but they want to be seen as if they care more than other in fighting the Corona virus pandemic. Edgar Lungu is riding on corona virus to campaign for 2021 but this Zambia sir, ask Chiluba’s spirit it testify how zambians can teach a lesson. Literally can be tricked and manipulated the way you want but there can only be one day that you will never forget to call you thief. Chiluba the master dribller felt the weight of the Zambian people. RB cried, simply he thought all was well yet not. Time is the best equalizer and don’t take advantage of the Corona virus disease.
No one is forcing you to wear party labelled gear which is being donated by the party using it’s own funds. If you have too much cash to spare and hate the look of it, then by all means go and buy alternative ones. It’s a free market economy. Nomba mulefwaya tubikepo picture yaba wiso
in case you are below 55 this is the story. UNIP made 4 million each i.e capes, tshirts and chitenge to dress the whole nation in Feb 1990. I got 3 of each that month branded with an equation Kk + U = ACTION. Others were branded UNIP MULILO. Dr Kawimbe then took advantage of the situation and sorted out the equation as YOU = ACTION – KK. if one party decides to associate itself with Covid. why complain. Take advantage
@Kaizer Zulu, I agree with you to some extent. Yes PF has the right to design masks bearing insignias of their choosing and distribute those masks themselves as a Party…..no problems there! But once you donate to the Govt, the property or masks becomes Govt’s and the Govt has an obligation to distribute the material to the public without discrimination. That is to say without taking into account who belongs to what political Party. Now can you imagine a UPND, UD, NERAP, UPP, extra, member being handed a PF branded scarf/mask to wear in the midst of a serious pandemic? I mean, don’t you think that is just grossly misguided and stup1d? Like I have said, reserve that cr@p for your Party convention!
KZ insulting well meaning citizens will not insulate you as public enemy of Zambia. You or impostor, Zambians will not forget that you have harassed, beaten, maimed, humiliated, kidnapped, fired guns and shot Zambians and dehumanise Zambians. Zambians deserve justice and time is coming to get it. Cleansing yourself on this site will not wash up, records, living witnesses exist and testimonies will be in your face.
Kz,
“No one is forcing you to wear them. That is face mask made using party funds not government funds.”
The Presidential empowerment fund is not a government fund?
Please clarify for me.
Everything people use in any field should be tested to make sure that they can perform the purpose they are meant to be doing . There is evidence plastered worldwide right now indicating that cloth masks are not effective in flattening the covid -19 curve . It is right therefore to say that PF are acting wilfully irresponsible by flooding Zambia with cloth PF masks which have not been quality tested . The second point is this that ,the recommended precaution social distance is two metres not one .The advice on covid 19 is changing every day depending on the scientific evidence available .
PF has no sense of reasoning as a party this is not the time for adverts or party symbols why can’t you learn from other countries.
The ANC has distanced itself from face masks bearing the party’s emblem and called on those producing them to stop.
Deputy secretary Jessie Duarte on Wednesday appealed to party members and manufacturers to “stop abusing the ANC emblem”.
“It has come to the attention of the ANC that there are some private-sector individuals who are producing face masks with the emblem of the ANC on the mask.
“There are also individuals who are making masks for themselves out of used ANC T-shirts. We are making an appeal to those members of the private sector not to abuse the ANC emblem,” Duarte said.
But Duarte said political party emblems on face masks, used…
But Duarte said political party emblems on face masks, used to keep the public safe against Covid-19, went against the approach that all South Africans should be united in fighting the pandemic.
“We are also asking the ANC membership to understand that Covid-19 affects everyone irrespective of which political party you may belong to. We cannot be selling masks that have political party emblems on them and hoping that people will support the private sector in this regard,” she added.
Duarte urged party supporters not to only stop manufacturing but also selling masks with ANC emblems.
Sichalwe this is not south Africa. What pertains there has no bearing on us. We are a sovereign state. Just because a south African jumps in front of a moving car, are you also going to do the same ? Have some integrity and respect for yourself as a zambian. Meanwhile in response to yambaysmba, a donation from pf or hh does not stop being as such just because it has now been donated to government.are you saying that we should then use tax payers money to alter these masks just so they don’t reflect pf symbols ? I think that is very trivial and a bit far fetched. Let us deal with big issues here.
company A has some left over chitenges in the warehouse and is full branded with their logo and decides to make masks for people that are failing to meet the cost of a mask.
Company B who is a competitor decides to then complain because of what company A has done.
Would you rather company A withhold that donation for the masses to only be exposed to the virus?
If company B has some items in their custody that they think would help the masses to mask up let them do so.
We know company A and company B exist in the same market and obviously their interest is the people in that market.
In the same vein, if company A and B donate their limited resources the mases, the masses will benefit and so I see no issues.
So if company B has some chitenges please make some masks and the masses will…
Covid-19 affects everyone irrespective of which political party you may belong to no need for PF face masks.
PF will be wiped out by Covid 19. It’s just a matter of time
Upnd complaints begin to sound like mosquitoes to my ears. Are the masks not doing their job regardless of the branding and who gave them? Do the same if you want. But PF will always be a trendsetter and you followers.
Mr Kaizer Zulu this is not about South Africa this is about common sense if you are a caring government for all the people of Zambia you will not do that you think other political parties have no capacity of producing masks with their party emblem if every party do that do you think it will be okay you can produce masks but with no party symbol its okay then we will know you care for all the people of Zambia irrespective of which political party they may belong to not the way you are doing it now.
Look at this useless so called Political Advisor, nowhere in the world has a Party produced covid19 masks with Party Slogans.
Only in Zambia !! Imagine, if UPND was the first who did that, i wounder how the PF would have reacted.
Please, its wrong and just accept it !!.
Don’t appraise any sh.iit that your Party does. What is wrong with you???.
Diaspora and UPND are not your enemies, the biggest enermy is your inner self, and unfortunately, you spread your infected ideas/feeling/thoughts here and the deporables here su.ck into them.
@Bill 10Ers
This is not about PF or UPND. Your narrow mind missed a very critical point, which is that the government used public funds to procure these items. NOT PF funds coz we know the party is bankrupt.
@LT , You need to at least comment on these issues. The government has made it very clear that COVID must not be politicized. Now some people here are definitely going against this fundamental guide. As LT , you need to give guidance since this is your platform… I am not saying you block some people. Just give guidance so that we fight this COVID together as one people.
This fight of covid 19 is for every Zambian not for PF alone so making masks with your party symbol is very wrong and it undermines every good effort you have been trying to do.
Imwe na imwe its not us! Nibenangu che!
Ruling PF Secretary General, Hon. Davis Mwila says his office has not sanctioned the making and distribution of any PF branded Covid-19 prevention face masks.
Mr. Mwila said in an interview that he has recieved news of PF branded face masks with shock because he has at no time authorized the making of such products.
He stated that as far as he and the Patriotic Front is concerned, the fight against Covid-19 cannot be politicized.
Mr. Mwila said in an interview that he has received news of PF branded face masks with shock because he has at no time authorized the making of such products.
He stated that as far as he and the Patriotic Front is concerned, the fight against Covid-19 cannot be politicized.
Mr. Mwila said Government has done a tremendous job in the fight against Covid-19 and emphasised that as a party, the PF cannot do anything to reverse the gains.
Total Confusion in PF and Kaizer Zulu needs to be fired again which ever position he has very dull.
I have never seen heartless people as PF,what a stupid campaigning strategy while thousands of people are dying and they are using their ligeria to campaign indirectly,am so heart broken because the money used for the branded materials could have been used for something beneficial to all zambians, aba nenu balelila imwe muletontonkanya ama campaigns…………….those branded stuff are far way expensive than normal masks,mukalila mu 2021………heartless party!!!
Political opportunism with a deadly disease .
I like the point some one has raised, if upnd feel so disheartened by the production of masks to help prevent the spread of the virus, then let them also make their own. In fact I welcome this because if every political party is incentivised to make their own masks , then at least majority of zambian will have access to a mask. Think outside the box. A lot of diasporans seem to lose their mental faculties when abroad, I wonder if it’s the effect of coldness on their brains. Kz
Look at what is in their heads…ati “…because if every political party is incentivised ”
To all other meaniful people and political parties, if you see KZ swimming in faeces, let him drown in it. He is trying to lure you to join PF, then tomorrow he will be saying, look we are not the only ones.
My advise to other parties, please don’t follow what PF has done, move on and continue the good spirit, providing masks for a good cause and not misusing the situation for political “incentives”
And KZ, stop insulting diasporans, think outside the box on other useful issues that the country faces and not to display vulturism.
With discernment best practices can always be borrowed or adopted outright for betterment of an existing behavioural pattern. And it may not matter much from where. It can be from Greenland for the Americans or indeed from a child to an old man. Hence: ‘amano yafuma mwifwasa yaya mu culu’
“The Presidential Empowerment Iniative Fund has today purchased face masks worth K25, 000 from local tailors…” This is what was reported yesterday with the same picture. A so-called presidential fund is used, to buy masks from ‘local tailors’ and they just happen to be branded with PF symbols? Tell that to the birds. How pathetic! I thought this was a govt. initiative for all nationals, but as usual, the PF chooses to rear it’s opportunistic ugly political tendencies at a time like this!
@the patriot, PF is wise they have decided to lay down or put politics aside by sacrificing their regalia so that those that cannot afford a mask can proudly wear one. Can UPND do the same the answer is a BIG NO